8 Ridiculous Restaurant Calorie Bombs

Even if you steer clear of traditional fast food outlets, you may be sabotaging your diet at popular casual dining standbys like The Cheesecake Factory, Applebee’s, and IHOP, says a new report from the nutrition watchdog group Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI). Although most of these restaurants offer healthy options, they also serve up some of the most calorie- and fat-packed meals around. While the group says the typical restaurant entrée (without an appetizer or dessert) contains 1,000 calories, their Xtreme Eating 2011 report highlights eight doozies whose dishes range from 1,200 to 2,500 calories, according to the chains’ own numbers.

For many women, these menu choices may provide a day’s worth of calories — or more — in a single sitting! “We’ve been giving out Xtreme eating awards since 2007,” says Jayne Hurley, RD, senior nutritionist for CSPI. “These chains are continuing to make bad food worse.” Get the details here.

Calorie Damage Control

Of course, an occasional indulgence is perfectly fine, but since people are dining out more and such calorie-packed dishes are becoming commonplace on restaurant menus, it makes sense to be careful about your overall calorie budget. You can share meals with friends, take home leftovers, and exercise more to make up for a splurge, but outsmarting the effects of these calorie bombs from the CSPI report takes a bigger effort. And it’s not just calories — high levels of saturated fat and sodium in these meals make for a triple threat for your heart.

So we asked Cynthia Sass, MPH, RD, author of Cinch! Conquer Cravings, Drop Pounds and Lose Inches for more surprising ways to undo the damage.

CSPI/Jorge Bach

Denny's Fried-Cheese Melt

Innocently referred to on the menu as a “grilled cheese with a twist,” this innovative sandwich combines an appetizer (mozzarella sticks) and grilled cheese sandwich in one main dish — with marinara sauce for dipping and French fries on the side (just in case you were still hungry). The calories come mainly from the bread and breading, and the cheese helps supply a day’s worth of saturated fat. The dish also contains two days’ worth of sodium!

The damage: 1,260 calories; 21 g saturated fat; 3,010 mg sodium

Undo it: “Steer clear of full-fat dairy products for the rest of the week,” advises Sass. That means choosing skim milk in your coffee, spreading bread with ripe avocado or dipping it in extra-virgin olive oil instead of butter, and choosing sorbet and fresh fruit over ice cream.

CSPI/Jorge Bach

The Cheesecake Factory Farmhouse Cheeseburger

By topping a cheddar cheeseburger with a slab of grilled smoked pork belly and a fried egg, The Cheesecake Factory melds breakfast with dinner in this calorie-jammed splurge.

The damage: 1,530 calories; 36 g saturated fat; 3,210 mg sodium

Undo it: Go meatless for the next three to five days to cut down on saturated fat and up your fiber intake. “Swap chicken, pork, or beef with black beans, lentils, or minced mushrooms,” suggests Sass.

CSPI/Jorge Bach

IHOP Monster Bacon 'N Beef Cheeseburger

Two beef patties are laced with ground bacon and topped with American and provolone cheeses (plus a wisp of tomato, onion, and lettuce) in this dish, which is essentially two lunches stacked atop one another.

The damage: 1,250 calories; 42 g saturated fat; 1,590 mg sodium

Undo it: Stick to ethnic cuisines for the next week. “This is a typical American meal — heavy on meat,” explains Sass. “Japanese, Indian, and Mediterranean cuisines are generally more plant-based with more vegetables, whole grains, and antioxidant-rich spices.”

CSPI/Jorge Bach

Applebee's Provolone-Stuffed Meatballs With Fettuccini

The folks at Applebee’s married an order of meatballs with fettuccini in cream sauce, then stuffed the meatballs with extra cheese for good measure. Did we mention there are four cups of pasta, or about four servings, in this mega meal? The CSPI report says it’s equivalent to eating two Applebee’s 12 oz. ribeye steaks plus a side of garlic mashed potatoes.

The damage: 1,520 calories; 43 g saturated fat; 3,700 mg sodium

Undo it: Eliminate refined grains, like white flour and pasta, for the rest of the week. Have oatmeal or whole-grain toast with nut butter for breakfast and snack on popcorn. “Whole grains are linked to weight control and a reduced risk of heart disease,” Sass says.

CSPI/Jorge Bach

Morton's Porterhouse Steak With Two Classic Sides

Twenty-four ounces of beef (a whopping six servings!), plus buttery mashed potatoes and a half-order of creamed spinach (a full order serves two people) provides more saturated fat than eight pieces of Original Recipe Kentucky Fried Chicken, mashed potatoes, gravy, coleslaw and four biscuits combined. Seriously.

The damage: 2,570 calories; 85 g saturated fat; 2,980 mg sodium

Undo it: “Choose foods known to lower LDL cholesterol and raise HDL at the same time, like red wine, dark chocolate, and olive oil,” advises Sass. “A meal like this calls for a double layer of protection for your heart!”

CSPI/Jorge Bach

Great Steak Extra-Large King Fries

A pound and a third of potatoes fried to a golden badness are then slathered with cheese, bacon, and sour cream. The CSPI report says the dish is comparable to three McDonald’s Quarter Pounders with Cheese sprinkled with two-thirds a teaspoon of salt.

The damage: 1,500 calories; 33 g saturated fat; 4,980 mg sodium

Undo it: Wear a pedometer and walk 10,000 steps a day. “I always advise people to use one day to find their baseline, and then gradually increase it over the course of a week,” Sass suggests.

CSPI/Jorge Bach

Coldstone Creamery PB&C Shake

The initials stand for Peanut Butter and Chocolate. The “Gotta Have It” 24-ounce version stands for disaster. This shake provides a full day’s worth of calories and more than three days’ worth of saturated fat.

The damage: 2,010 calorie; 68 g saturated fat

Undo it: Make your own healthy version of this shake and drink it daily for the next week. The recipe: Blend skim milk, a few drops of pure vanilla extract (or the scraped insides of a vanilla bean), a small scoop of instant rolled oats, and a spoonful each of peanut butter and dark chocolate chips. “If you gotta have it, have it healthier,” says Sass. Bonus: The oatmeal’s soluble fiber will help absorb cholesterol from your bloodstream.

CSPI/Jorge Bach

The Cheesecake Factory Ultimate Red Velvet Cake Cheesecake

Can’t decide whether you want the red velvet cake or the cheesecake for dessert? Now you don’t have to. This dessert stacks the two and adds whipped cream for added … flavor? One slice of this sweet treat is comparable to an entire tub of Breyers All Natural Homemade Vanilla ice cream.

The damage: 1,540 calories; 59 g saturated fat

Undo it: For the rest of the week, commit to making vegetables the focus of every lunch and dinner. “In other words, make sure every lunch and dinner has at least two cups — or two baseballs’ worth — of vegetables, plus a small amount of protein,” advises Sass.

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